grain feed in winter

[ky colonel]

What amount of corn or cattle mix does everyone feed in winter to cows to keep conditions good?

 

[5S Cattle]

If the weather isn't bad I feed 3-4 lbs cottonseed every other day. If it's cold I just fill the feed troughs up and let them eat

 

[kenny thomas]

Nothing but hay and stockpiled fescue. Weaned calves will get hay and 2% of their body weight of 16% mix feed.

 

[turklilley]

Eight pounds of mixed grains, and free choice hay.

 

[Allenw]

Low quality hay or dry grass and some protein supplement, feedlot cows don't make it here.

 

[Silver]

Hay and TM salt

 

[Nesikep]

Hay and TM salt

That's what mine get, and not always great hay either.. usually oat hay until new years or so, then first cut grass/alfalfa.. second cut for after calving and they're milking
replacement heifers get some treats.. a bucket of sunflower pressings a day

 

[greybeard]

Mineral, salt, hay and some range cubes. Some years I've fed range meal too but usually not.

 

[True Grit Farms]

Corn and cotton seed as needed. This might be a year that we'll have to supplement feed. We have plenty of 6 to 8% hay but that just won't cut it when it's rainy and cold.

 

[ddd75]

30 lb / day hay and mineral.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Probably depends on location.
I feed my cows 1st cut baleage and free-choice loose mineral. Weaned heifers get 1st cut baleage and 5# whole shell corn + mineral until they are bred in the spring & when turned out on grass, they are cows and don't need supplements.

 

[True Grit Farms]

Probably depends on location.
I feed my cows 1st cut baleage and free-choice loose mineral. Weaned heifers get 1st cut baleage and 5# whole shell corn + mineral until they are bred in the spring & when turned out on grass, they are cows and don't need supplements.

Three or four years ago we had a lot of hay just not quality, and a wet freezing cold winter at times. A lot of folks lost cows some lost a bunch by not knowing what kind of hay they were feeding. Most folks feed free choice hay and as long as it's 7-8% P and the tdn over 50 a cow can survive on hay only. If you add freezing rain and lower either the tdn or protein you'll either starve or freeze your cows to death.
I think your hay is like rocket fuel compared to our hay.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Probably depends on location.
I feed my cows 1st cut baleage and free-choice loose mineral. Weaned heifers get 1st cut baleage and 5# whole shell corn + mineral until they are bred in the spring & when turned out on grass, they are cows and don't need supplements.

Three or four years ago we had a lot of hay just not quality, and a wet freezing cold winter at times. A lot of folks lost cows some lost a bunch by not knowing what kind of hay they were feeding. Most folks feed free choice hay and as long as it's 7-8% P and the tdn over 50 a cow can survive on hay only. If you add freezing rain and lower either the tdn or protein you'll either starve or freeze your cows to death.
I think your hay is like rocket fuel compared to our hay.

Yeah, I haven't checked for some time, but usually around 16% P. Our crappy July cut hay from last year was probably better than a lot of hay put up around the country. Cows lost condition, but survived & kept their pregnancy. We have rather "harsh" winters - a very "wet" cold.

 

[Dave]

Cows get all the Bent grass or Blue grass straw (comes from grass seed growers) that they want. It runs about 6 or 7 percent CP. And they are limit fed about 5 pounds of alfalfa a day. Cows did just fine on that. Last year the grass seed straw was $80 a ton delivered and the feeder alfalfa was $120 a ton delivered. That is a whole bunch cheaper than feeding any grain.